In his final season, Shannon Sharpe became one of Jake Plummer’s favorite targets. But in Sharpe’s chatty new life, those roles have reversed.

Now an NFL studio analyst for CBS, Sharpe took dead aim again Tuesday at Plummer’s aerial precision and his game decisions, snapping the Broncos’ quarterback with a backhanded compliment – along with a dose of numeric pressure.

“In order for them to win, Jake needs to have a great season, a great season, a 30-touchdown, 10-interception-type season,” Sharpe said. “You can’t turn the football over like he did, like this offense did last year, and win. No team in football is good enough to turn the ball over that much and win.”

Plummer’s best season in those terms also came in 2004: 27 touchdown passes against 20 interceptions – tied for most picks in the league.

Put another way, Sharpe said, Denver will make the playoffs this season if Plummer throws less often to the other team. “And if they don’t take care of the football, they finish third or fourth” in the division.

“You think back when they got him, people thought Gary (Kubiak, the Broncos’ offensive coordinator) would have been able to coach him out of that,” Sharpe said. “But (Plummer) does what he knows best. That’s what gets him into trouble.”

Plummer has thrown 20 interceptions or more five times in eight NFL seasons. Three times he notched more touchdown passes than picks, twice in Denver.

“It’s the same mistakes,” Sharpe said, “so I’m not so sure it’s the coaching.”

Sharpe’s latest critique is softer than the famous verbal blitz he unleashed last December on his satellite radio show. Back then, Sharpe questioned whether Broncos coach Mike Shanahan would be able to elevate Plummer, whom Sharpe called “mediocre, average at best.” He added: “Jake Plummer is what he is. … If you take a grizzly out of the wilderness and put him in the zoo, he is still a grizzly. Changing his habitat doesn’t change who or what he is.”

Sharpe said that kind of cold analysis is part of his TV profession. And it’s something he has explained to Shanahan and Broncos owner Pat Bowlen.

“The one thing I told Mike and Mr. Bowlen when I took this job: ‘Realize this job is as important to me right now as football was.’ If I’m critical of the 31 other NFL teams but not the Broncos, I’m not as credible,” Sharpe said.

Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson had butterflies before Sunday's game against the Detroit Red Wings. It wasn't because of the big-name opponent, but rather his return from a 13-game injury absence and being stoked to rejoin a team in a playoff push and looking for its third postseason appearance in 10 years.